Some store owners at Bedford Place Mall are struggling in the aftermath of last month’s devastating flash flooding in the area, as significant amounts of water spread throughout the shopping centre and resulted in costly losses for some businesses.
John Connors, the owner of East Coast Kicks, said about three to five inches of water accumulated throughout the entirety of his store at the peak of the flooding.
Two days passed before he was legally permitted back into his store – where he immediately made the decision to tear out a “soaking wet” carpet to reduce the moisture and humidity throughout his shop.
“This whole entire thing has been an absolute nightmare,” Connors said, adding that his unit was without power for 12 days following the flood.
He also said “anything that was on the floor” was damaged, primarily in his storage area, which contained dozens of brand-new shoes.
“(They are) permanently damaged, they smell, boxes are all ruined, and, in my business, I need to sell it (shoes) brand new with the box,” he said.
“All of this is happening while the insurance for the mall is doing nothing and the mall themselves are doing nothing for anybody in here.”
“My roof also started leaking the night of… I don’t think anyone’s been up there to fix it and it’s just continuing to leak, so I have two buckets here,” Connors added, pointing to an empty garbage can and container on the floor.
Global News reached out to Bedford Place Mall management on Friday but did not receive comment on the claims made by Connors. On Thursday, a general manager for the mall declined to comment on damage costs.
Connors said the landlord is placing responsibility on him for the floor, walls, and surrounding areas, which he says, “Weren’t mine when I moved in”.
“This is my first ever insurance claim and this is my first time ever dealing with a landlord that is no help either,” he said.
He said the spare units next to his shop are still damaged from the flood.
Connors said he can’t re-open until repairs on the three units surrounding his shop are finished. He said that one room hasn’t been touched yet.
“I can’t start what I need to do until that’s done and we’re on the same page,” he said.
Danielle Mancimi, an employee at Shady Maple Raw, a dog food store, said her workplace opened last Friday after being closed for two weeks due to the flood damage.
“There was a lot of water all over the floor… it was kind of like muddy water, the power was out for almost a week,” she said, adding that some inventory was lost in the store’s main freezer.
“I think people got worse than us, I think we were quite lucky,” she said.
Although the store avoided significant damage, which allowed for employees to return to work, Mancimi said business hasn’t been flowing as usual.
“I have found it’s been slower since we’ve reopened… it’s starting to (pick up),” she said. “I think where the mall isn’t fully opened, people might think we’re still closed.”
Other businesses inside the mall, such as the jewelry store Charm, are planning to reopen on the weekend, while Fit4less is anticipating another two to four weeks of repairs before welcoming the public back to its facilities.
The Bedford Place Mall said it will continue to share updates on the re-opening of stores on its website.
— With files from Vanessa Wright
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